Array of New Yorkers honored at City Hall

The council chamber was lit up by the beaming faces of students who stepped forward with the Young Audiences of New York and American International Group which received a proclamation for their work in opening up the arts to young lives in the Public School system. These two organizations encourage children as performers, guide them as budding artists, and give them the space to develop their unique talents.

There was also Mrs. Betsy Ritter, who was honored on the occasion of her 111^th birthday. Born in 1894 in Wadesboro, North Carolina, Ritter moved to Harlem in 1944. There she was blessed with 2 sons, and later 11 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. As she received her proclamation and was given flowers, Mrs. Ritter was surrounded by many proud members of her extended family.

Another honoree, Rocco Moretto, had spent 1944 quite differently from Mrs. Ritter. He was a member of the First Infantry Division that stormed the beaches of Normandy on June 6^th of that year, helping to ensure a victory over Hitler’s forces during World War II. Moretto was one of 99 American veterans that France awarded their most prestigious honor, the Legion d’Honneur, on the 60^th Anniversary of D-Day.

The American Indian Community House also received a proclamation for its important contribution to the City and the indigenous community. This community-based organization was founded in 1969 with the purpose of improving the status of Native Americans and fostering inter-cultural understanding. This presentation was especially moving because during it, one of the recipients, Larry Ahenakew, sang a song while accompanying himself on a drum.

The New York Metropolitan and District Cricket Association was also honored on its 125^th anniversary. This sports association was founded in 1879 by a group of dedicated and visionary clubs determined to keep the game of cricket alive in North America with its players from such nations as Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, both the Leeward and Windward Islands, as well as Trinidad and Tobago. The association has moved into the 21^st century instituting a comprehensive youth program and is continually involved in new ways to bring excitement to the game.

The final proclamation recipient was Busch S. Park, a native of Kaesung, Korea. Park, who came to the United States in 1971, established a successful career as a businessman and distinguished himself as a community activist who has fought valiantly to improve conditions within his Queens neighborhood of Jamaica Estates.